sapientbreeze

Perhaps finding your Path seems daunting, or perhaps you’re already convinced you’ve found it… regardless, know your Aim. The “Why” of what we do actually matters more than the physical actions themselves. This is why some people might not “believe” in meditation… since it doesn’t work for them, it cannot be real. However, if you pursue meditation for lower reasons (to impress other people, or to be superior to others, etc.) It will then produce lower results.

On the Path of self discovery and self improvement, you will undoubtedly face moments where you find that your reasons for self improvement are vain or shallow. This is unavoidable: we all start as higher beings that are then brought low by the brutal realities of mortal life. There are no “bad” or “evil” babies: this does not need to be proved, for we all know intrinsically that this is the case. This is why people love babies, for they are the purest humans we’ll ever know. To return is to let go of the conditional survival mechanisms you developed while surviving life’s tragedies… and often, there are layers of trauma and self deception that must be peeled back one at a time.

The soul of the Path is to remember that we ought show ourself compassion regardless of where we are. Whether you haven’t taken a single step, or practiced self improvement daily for years, meet yourself with every ounce of compassion you can generate. Instead of obsessing on how you are falling short, look towards where you’ve improved and celebrate that. Sometimes, we survive things that are so unjust or cruel that merely surviving is worthy of praise. Love yourself, and commit to setting your Aim as high as possible.

To aim high in life is to aspire to be more. You know this already: every good story ever told to you essentially revolves around a person or people that aspired to be more. The reason these stories are worth telling is precisely because we yearn deep down to be more ourselves. Personal development must result in personal transformation. Every lost soul in our world is essentially a caterpillar whose forgotten how to make a cocoon. At our core, we all know that we are meant to transform… but our culture has deceived us in what it is to be a butterfly. Whether you’ve found a sense of purpose or not, set your Aim on transformation.

To aim high is to strive to be more. To be a butterfly among caterpillars is to be an adult among children… and that’s not far from the truth. Aim to be a better person, but you must let go of the idea that this will make you better than others. There is no better person or better people, that is the lie we collectively accept. Set your aim on being better, and do it because being better will bring happiness into your life. Seek to hold joy in your heart. The ego will attempt to assert itself, and you may catch yourself thinking or saying judgmental things about others. Watch for that: your judgments of others are actually judgments for yourself… if you consciously try to forgive others their shortcomings, you will inevitably forgive yourself as well.

The definition of “being better” will entirely relate to where you are in life. If you’re an alcoholic living on the streets, being better might mean emptying out your flask. If you are lost and in darkness, you must focus on single, incremental improvements. Don’t compare yourself to others, for you are not them. Climbing out of Hell is literally the opportunity of a lifetime: nothing triggers personal transformation like getting through Hell, but there is a real chance it will kill you first. Strive to be better: strive to see yourself, seek clarity, and remember that you are not weak. Many people don’t learn how to feel good without making others feel small, so a lot of people are left crushed in the Modern Era. If you take nothing else away, know this: you are not weak.

The weaker you feel, the more important it is for you to aim for bravery. Aim to be audacious, to be larger, to set up boundaries and protect your space. Sit with yourself… seek stillness, and follow your fears. Follow your insecurities, your “weaknesses”, and in them you will find your Path. Only you can find the answers, and only you can heal the damage that life has wrought. You must be honest: ALWAYS strive to be honest with yourself. Seek truth, the real truth… not the truth of others, not of culture… the intrinsically unavoidable truth. If you are not happy, then you are not doing what you ought to be doing. Check your Aim: are you truly striving to grow, and is it truly for a higher reason? Only you can know, and until you do, your life will not change.